Spiritual Discipline and the Church!

Very few people like confrontation really!  I still believe that.  I'm one of those optimist that believe the glass is half full as compared to half empty!  I think sometimes my wife thinks that is annoying.  She is more of a realist.  

I admit I know nothing about marriage.  Kim and I have been married for over 6 1/2 years now and our marriage is good and strong!  We have learned the art of compromise and unconditional love.  I think that she has mastered the unconditional love thing more than I have because I recognize I am very hard to love sometimes!  She is amazing!  One of the funny things is that our marriage is built on two polar opposites in most every thing!  Yes, I understand men and women think and operate differently, but aside from our faith and love for each other, she is just weird!   I mean that with all the love in my heart!  I am a peacemaker and I often find myself neglecting to say something or say a timely word in the name of peace.  We need peacemakers in this drama filled world!  Amen!  Kim, well she is a prophet at heart!  In a spiritual gift test, she would score a 25 on a scale of 1-10 in the prophet traits!  She likes to tell you how she feels and what she thinks.  She is straight forward, blunt, and oftentimes a cavalier with the truth.  She believes that it is important!  And truth be told, we need prophets in the world too!  The beauty of our relationship is that we balance each other out.  She helps me be more assertive and bold, I help her be tactful and merciful.  The beauty of grace!  

We need more truth in the church today when it comes to the Scriptures and in accountability.  I just read the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:15-20 concerning spiritual discipline.  Does anybody practice this anymore?  In my experience, it works one of two ways in most Christian circles.  One, people initially confront the error in the brother, the brother is offended, and the confrontee  isolates and even gossips about the wayward brother to everybody else (mostly via FB, twitter, etc.).  Or secondly, people refuse to say anything because they don't want to ruffle feathers anywhere.  Both are blatantly sinful!  Sin is sometimes a failure to do things God's way!  It's a sin of omission here!  

Jesus says the process is simple, edifying, and restoring. 

Step 1:  If your brother (sister, friend, person) sins against you, go to him PRIVATELY and lovingly confront the error.  If he repents, then PTL (Praise the Lord)! 

Step 2:  If he fails to listen, take one or two others with you again try to lovingly restore him.  If he repents, then PTL!

Step 3:  If he again fails to listen, tell it to the church publicly in attempt to again lovingly restore him in repentance.  If he repents, then PTL!  God is good and the church is stronger because of it!

Step 4:  If he again fails to listen, then he has broken a commitment to his brethren and needs to be let go from the unity of the church.  Wow!  That's harsh!  Is that like ex-communication?  Yep.  Read your Bible! 

I'm not suggesting that the church start kicking people out because we have not handled most sin in this Biblical model.  However, what if we got this serious about sin and how the church handles sin?  Everybody is held accountable from pastors to deacons, Sunday School teachers to lay members.  Everybody is on the same playing field with ultimate goal of holiness in the Bride of Christ!  Isn't that what God wants?  

Now, for that classically misinterpreted verse of the Bible....

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them." (Matthew 17:20)

I know we like to think about this Scripture in relationship to God's Presence with us in prayer and worship, but in context it's talking about God being with the two or three in confrontation.  He promises to be our wisdom, discernment, and love when we are standing up for the right thing!  God is love and is peace, but He is also just and absolute Truth!  Live in such a way, Christian!  You are the Bride of Christ!